Stupid Boy
by lovemyranger
Summary: Based on Keith Urban's song, Stupid Boy, Joe has an epiphany.


Disclaimer : JE owns all these characters. I am just playing with them and will put them back when I am through. I make no money. Spoilers for all books.

Song Fic of Stupid Boy

By Keith Urban

**Joe's POV**

Damn, I'm exhausted. I rubbed Bob's head as I walked through my front door toward the kitchen. I went to the refrigerator, grabbed a beer and slammed half of it down. I stood in my kitchen just staring at the half empty bottle and wondering how my life went downhill so fast. It all started with that damn argument. Steph and I were snuggling on the couch watching a game and everything was going great. I loved holding her and knowing she belonged wrapped in my arms where she was safe and I never worried as long as she was with me. Steph looked up at me and smiled and told me she loved moments like this where everything felt right in her world. I told her things would always be like this if she'd do her part and quit her job and become my wife. At that moment, I saw the anger rush to her face and I knew a fight was in the works. Steph started yelling at me about how I never support her or her choices and she was tired of my shit. I yelled back and told her if she would make the right choices I would support her. Next thing I know, Steph stormed out of here and I hadn't seen her since. It just pisses me off that it was my comment about her doing her part and quitting her job and becoming my wife that started the whole fucking argument. I don't get it. Other women are happy to stay home1. Shit, this was the last thing I wanted to do right now. I don't want to try and figure out what went wrong in our relationship. Maybe there's a game on to take my mind off the hell I call my life.

I walked into the living room and turned on the television. Nothing, not even a fucking game. I turned the television off, but I needed something to drown out the silence in the house and the thoughts running through my head. Music. Music is always a good distraction. I can't concentrate and listen to music at the same time. I got up from the couch and turned the radio on. This wasn't my normal radio station. What the hell station is this? Shit, I hate fucking Country Music. Who the hell has been listening to Country Music? It doesn't matter. I'm damn sure not going to listen to it. I started to change the channel, when the song caught my attention.

_**Well, she was precious like a flower**_

_**She grew wild, wild but innocent**_

_**A perfect prayer in a desperate hour**_

_**She was everything beautiful and different**_

Steph certainly was innocent. When we were younger, I got her to play choo-choo with me in my garage. Of course, that wasn't the only time she was wild but innocent. I remembered the time behind the Tasty Pastry counter where I took her virginity. Then when I was FTA, she was my perfect prayer in that desperate hour. I knew I had nothing to worry about once Steph was on my case. She wasn't capable of bringing me in by force and the only way she would collect her money was by my permission2.

_**Stupid Boy, you can't fence that in**_

_**Stupid Boy, It's like holding back the wind**_

_**She let her heart and soul right in your hands**_

_**And you stole her every dream and you crushed her plans**_

_**She never even knew she had a choice and that's what happens**_

_**When the only voice she hears is telling her she can't**_

_**Stupid Boy, Stupid Boy**_

_**Oh**_

I admit, I told her she was making a career out of making mistakes3. She had to face reality sometime. She's not a great apprehension agent, and she's a magnet for disaster4. I'm sick of worrying when the next crazy is going to kidnap her or succeed and kill her. When the truth didn't work, I simply told her she would have to choose between me and the job5. That's when Steph told me she wanted me to support her career choice. I thought by making her choose, she would realize she didn't have a career. She had a suicide mission6. We are constantly going back and forth with our relationship. I am sick of the uncertainty. That's why I finally told her in order to have an on again relationship with me, she'd have to get a new job or even better, no job at all. She could be a housewife7. I don't think I was wrong in telling her that. Steph can't go on deluding herself thinking she can do that job. Just because Ranger tells her he believes in her and is proud of her, doesn't mean she's good at her job. It just proves how crazy he is.

_**So what made you think you could take a life**_

_**And just push it push it around**_

_**I guess you build yourself up so high**_

_**You had to take her and break her down**_

That's not true. I don't build myself up so high. I mean, I don't have to when compared to Steph. She couldn't find her ass with both hands8. Besides, I'm a lot smarter and meaner than she would ever be9. For God's sake, she keeps her gun in a cookie jar, and on the rare occasions she did carry it, she couldn't hit a barn at five paces. The only time she ever shot anyone, was because of divine intervention10.

_**She let her heart and soul right in your hands**_

_**And you stole her every dream and you crushed her plans**_

_**She never even knew she had a choice and that's what happens**_

_**When the only voice she hears is telling her she can't**_

_**You Stupid Boy**_

_**Oh, you always had to be right but now you've lost**_

_**The only thing that ever made you feel alive**_

_**Yeah, Yeah**_

Steph knows she can be brainless sometimes because after we got home from her latest stunt she wondered why I didn't yell or tell her she was stupid or anything. Of course, I told her I was pacing myself11. She even told me once she felt stupid and boring, and I remembered telling her she wasn't boring. When she asked me about the stupid part, I told her sometimes that's a tough call12. She just proved my point, and if she would quit listening to Ranger, I wouldn't have to keep reminding her how ignorant she could be. Shit, she was even stupid enough to take a gun from him13.

_**Well, she let her heart and soul right in your hands**_

_**And you stole her every dream and you crushed her plans**_

_**Yes, ya did**_

_**She never even knew she had a choice and that's what happens**_

_**When the only voice she hears is telling her she can't**_

_**You Stupid Boy, Oh, I'm the same old**_

_**Same old Stupid Boy**_

Big deal. So I crushed her plans or tried to at least. I love her. All I want is for her to be safe and be my wife. She can't do that living in that fantasy world of hers. Why can't she just quit her job and be a housewife?

_**It took awhile for her to figure out she could run**_

_**But when she did, she was long gone**_

_**Long gone, long gone**_

_**Ah, she's gone**_

It didn't take her that long to figure out she could fly. Ranger made sure of it. He constantly encouraged her and told her he was proud of her. Of course she kept at the job. She wanted to please Ranger like a dog wants to please their owner. Why can't she see he's bad news and will only get her killed? Why can't he just leave her alone? I know if he would get out and stay out of her life, I could convince Steph to quit. The problem is, I haven't seen or spoken to her since she walked out of my house. I know she's gone this time and never coming back. Burg rumor mill is saying she ran straight into Ranger's waiting arms and they haven't been apart since.

_**Nobody's ever gonna love me like she loved me**_

_**And she loved me, she loved me**_

_**God please, just let her know**_

_**I'm sorry, I'm sorry**_

_**I'm sorry, I'm sorry**_

_**Baby, Yeah, I'm down on my knees**_

_**She's never coming back to me**_

Fucking song. I should have changed the channel when I had the chance. Yeah, I know she loves me, she finally told me so. I should have known something was wrong between us since it took her three years to tell me. I hope someday she realizes how sorry I am we didn't work out. I still don't know what I did or said to make her leave me for good this time. The only good thing that came out of that argument was the fact she walked out of here barefoot and desperate. Just the way I liked her14.

1 TBO, page 103, paperback

2 OFTM, page 300, paperback

3 TFTD, page 95, paperback

4 TBO, page 180 and 181, paperback

5 Seven Up, page 302, paperback

6 TBO, page 103, paperback

7 TBO, page 268, paperback

8 OFTM, page 58, paperback

9 OFTM, page 269, paperback

10 Hot Six, page 212, paperback

11 TBO, page 79, paperback

12 EOT, page 184, hardback

13 TTN, page 82, hardback

14 EOT, page 133, hardback


End file.
